tuffley



J. L. TUFFLEY.

CIGARETTE CASE.

APPLICATION man APR. 1, I916.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

I gla wzwfioz J. L. TUFFLEY. CIGARETTE CASE.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Fi .3.;

J MES L. TUFFLEY, or ArrLnBono, vrAssAcHusE'rrs, ASSIGNOB TO THE JAMES E. BLAKE COMPANY, or ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, A oonronA'rro v or .nnonn ISLAND.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES L. TUFFLEY, a

tleboro, in the county ofBristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cigarette-Cases, of which the following is a specification. i

'This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in cigarette cases, and the primary object of the invention is to provide a case in which'the cigarettesare carried by a movable holder, which latter upon release of the usual catch for the case is automatically projected out from the case in a position to enable free and easy removal of the cigarettes. r i

A further object of the invention is to provide a holder which is also automatically moved intothe case by the act of closing the case and without being touched bytheuser or operator. A

A still further object of the invention is to provide a holder which projects the ciga- .rettes from a side of the case, and at a distance from the latter so as to more easily enable the cigarettesto be removed.

: Still further, the invention aims to pro- .vide acase which can be opened and closed with the-use of but one hand. 7

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention showing the case 'in open position and the holder prO ected therefrom. Fig. 2 is an end elevationof Fig.1. Fig. 3 is a-plan view, partly in section, showing the holder when in housed position within the case. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similarview on the line 55 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6

the customary-type .of spring hinge which is anend elevation illustrating the case as in the act of manipulation by use of but one hand, and Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of theholder support.

The case embodies a front 1 and back 2 automatically;separates the front and back upon release of thecatch.

The holder embodlesfa substantially U- shaped frame 4 having a central partition 5 provided with struck-out projections 6 and similar bent projections 7 which form cigarette seatson the opposed faces of the par 7 tition. HingedarmsS, the hinges beingof CIGARETTE-CASE.

the spring typeretai-n the cigarettes in their seats, e

The holder is connected to a T-member 9 by meansJof afspring' hinge 10, the hinge being securedlto the top of ';said member while the web of the member is formed with a knuckle 11 which pivotallyreceives the pintle 'pin 12 of the hinge 13 ,of the front and back 1 and 2 respectively. The member 9 is located adjacent a side of the case so that whenthe holder is projected. out from the case it will present all of the cigarettes in a position where same can be removed, or the holder replenished without interference from the case.

. 'The front and back are provlded with the inwardly extending marginal flanges 14 and the holder is positioned so that when the case is in the open position depicted in Fig. 1, of the drawings the base of the holder will be engaged with these flanges 14 and be supported thereby. When the case is closed, the flanges 14 will ride upon the base of the U-frame of the holder and will move the latter into the case, and when the catch 3 is released, the spring of the hinge .13 will-force the front andback apart,

which actionwill be assisted by the action of the holder, which latter under the influence or impulse of the spring of the hinge 10, will be itself moved outwardly from the case and in its said movement will, by bearing against the flanges 14, move the front and back apart and hold same apart.

Referring. to Fig. 6 of the drawings, it will be noted that the case is illustrated as in use with one-hand, the case being shown as in the act of being closed. In opening of the case, same is held in one hand, and the thumb moved to release the catch, whereupon the springs of the several hinges act to movethe case front and back, and the holder to-the position shown in Fig. 1.

Extending inwardly from the flanges 14 at an angle thereto areinclined guides, which function to move the holder inwardly following initial inward movement imparted by the flanges 14 ridingon the opposite side edges of the base of the U-frame 4 of the holder, so as to bring the holder fully within the inner edges of the flanges 14 thereby to not interfere with free closing of the front and back and their securement by the catch 3; This function of the guides 15 can be clearly viewed in Fig. 3, in which latter'the holder is shown in the position. it occupies when the case is closed, and in which it will be apparent that the holder is held we'll away from the flanges 14:, and in fact spaced from the entire four bounding flanges of the front and back.

The operation is as follows: The case is held as depicted in Fig. 6, and the thumb moved to release the catch following which the hand is moved to the position illustrated I in said figure, whereupon the spring of the hinge 13, acts to move the front andback apart and at the same time the spring of the hinge moves the holder out from the case.

VV'Ih'is outward movement of the holder also assists in the stated separating movement of the front and back, since the opposedside :edges ofthe'ba'selof the U-shaped frame 4 of the holder engage the flanges 14 14: of the v front and back and force these parts away V ment.

from each other. In closing of the case, the

7 front and back are moved to approach each other, the flanges 14 riding on or against the opposed side edges of the base of the holder, forcing the latter, inwardly against the action of the spring of hinge 10, and finally the guides 15 enter into action and move the holder away from the edges which have initially given the holder its inward move- It will thus be apparent from the foregoing that the holder is automatically projected out'from the case and likewise moved 'into the case by the mereaction of opening or, closing the case, and that the cigarettes are thusheld in a position away from the V including a hinged front and back, a'mem case so as to be easily accessible for expeditious removal, and replenishment as well Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Let- 'ters Patent is '1, In combination with a cigarette case ber secured to the hinge pintle, a holder, a spring hinge connected to the holder and member, and flanges on the frontand back I V for engagement with the opposed side edges of the base of the holder for automatically moving the holder into the case upon closing of the same.

2. In combination with a case having a V hinged front and back, a holder in hinged connection with the case hinge, means for moving the holder out from a side of the case upon opening of the same, and flanges on the case for engagement with the holder for moving the latter into the case upon closing of the case. l

3. In combination with a case having hinged front and back, a member pivoted to the hinge pintleof the case, a holder hinged to the member at a side of the case, means for tensioning the holder so that upon opening of the case the holder will be projected opening out from a side of the case, and means associated with the case for automatically'moving the holder into thecase upon closing of the same.

4. In combination with afcase havinga COV8I,,'2L holder formed to removably hold cigarettes, and means operating independpro-jected out-oflthe' case.

'ent' of the cover whereby upon; opening of the latter the holder will be automatically,

r 1 f 5. In combination with a cigarette case 1 having a cover, ainormally tensioned 'cigarette holder" heldby he case and cover V therewithin and means which 1' upon release of the cover causesjthe-holder to'belbodil" moved entirelywithoutthe caseto cigarettes to be removed therefrom; T

y sol; allOW the j ogIn'combination with a'oaseihaving 5' from t hinged cover, an article holder completely; housed in the case, and'means whereby upon in which the cover movesin 'a'position to al-o low the article to be removed therefrom; '7 Q 7. Incombination with. a' case havinga latchedlcover and adapted to be held in: and operated with ,one hand, a, cigarette holder in the casemovable at right angles to' the direction of movement of the case and cover,

and means flwhereby'upon release of the latchthe holder will be 'utomatically pro,-

jected out from a side of, the case. r

movement of the cover, and means whereby upon release ofthe coverthe holder will be automatically case.

theholder into cover.' I r l 11. A casehaving a" cover, a holder in the 12. A 'case having 'a hinged covenffa holder, and means-to movethe holdeifjout of the case when theicover is opened; said: case and cover having rigid parts engaging moved out offa side ofthe 10. A case'having a cover,ra'holder inthe case movable upon opening of the. coveriout of the case, means-to move thefholder out ofthe case upon releaseofthe cover, and '3 rigid means on thecase and cover to move 7 the case upon elosingofthe j .120 a o le upon'openi'ng ofthe oo ver'f'; out of the case, means 'to movethe holder 1 7 out of the case upon releaseof the ()QVep, and means on the case andcover t eng ge V oppositesides of the holder to move theflat 12a 7; ter into the case uponjclosing of 'thegcoverf f L ofthe cover the holder is pr ected 2; e case at right angles to the plane opposite sides of the holder so that upon closing of the cover the holder will be automatically moved into the case.

13. A case having a hinged cover and adapted to be held in one hand with the fingers engaging one part and the thumb the other part, a holder in the ease, and means whereby upon release of the cover the holder .will be automatically moved at right angles to the plane of the cover movement and projected out from a side of the case in the space between the thumb and fingers so as to present the article carried by the holder vertically.

14:. A case having a hinged cover and a Copies of this patent may be obtained for cigarette holder the latter when in the case and in conjunction with the latter holding the cigarette parallel to the plane of the hinge, and means to automatically project the holder out of the case when the cover is 20 opened and to dispose the cigarettes in a plane at right angles to the plane of the hinge.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 25 two subscribing witnesses.

' JAMES L. TUFFLEY. Witnesses:

LILLIAN A. GENEREUX, MARGARET E. BARRY.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

